Process of manufacturing nails



April zo, 1937. E. D. TRIPP 2,077,784

PROCESS 0F MANUFACTURING NAIILS. I

Filed March 25, 1936 Patented Apr. 20, 1937 PATENT OFFICE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING NAILS Elbert D. Tripp, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Albert J. Deniston, Jr., Chicago, Ill.

Application March 25, 1936, Serial No. 70,742

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a wire nail having a lead head and particularly to a method of forming the lead head upon the nail.

While the head is ordinarily of lead and will 5 be spoken of as such hereafter, it might be made of any other material having physical properties similar to lead, that is to say, being relatively soft and suitable for use to form a sealing head on a nail. For this purpose the material l should be appreciably softer than that of which the nail itself is made.

One object of the invention is to provide a method of forming a. lead head and for securing it upon a nail. Another object is to provide a l method of forming the lead head about, above and below the head of a nail and for providing a tapered lead portion about the shank of a nail.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the specification and claims.

The invention is more or less diagrammatically illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a die, illustrating a step in the formation of the lead 25 head;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the dies after a cup has been formed;

Figure 3 is a similar View showing the cup formed and a nail in the cup;

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the forming die in position at the completion of the head forming operation;

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the forming die removed, the nail completed and the ejec- 35 tion of the nail from the die commencing.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specication and drawing.

I is a cup forming die provided with a cavity 2, having a preferably rounded bottom 3. 4 40 is an ejector pin which in the position illustrated in the first four iigures, forms a portion of the bottom 3 and conforms in contour to that portion. It is to be understood that this ejecting 45 pin might otherwise be positioned during the forming operation so as to extend somewhat into the cavity 2 or so as to lie somewhat below the rounded bottom 3 of that cavity, thus to provide either a depression in or a projection on the 50 lead head as finally made. The second member of the die is mounted generally on a shank 5, has a reduced central portion 6 and a forming portion l whose lower surface is rounded as at 1a. The shape and contour of the portion 1, 55 'la corresponds preferably to those of the depression or cavity 2 although this is not essential. l

A piece of lead or other equivalent material 8 is dropped into the cavity 2 and the die descends into the position shown in Figure 2. The lead is compressed by the entering die and flows about the point 'I to form the cup-like member 9. After the die I is withdrawn, a nail I0 is put, head downward, into the cup 9. The nail has a shank portion as shown and a preferably rounded head Il. While it is not essential., it is often convenient to have the curvature of the nail head II correspond to that of the dies 2 and 1a and consequently to the curvature given to the exterior of the cup 9. This is the condition shown in Figure 3.

With the parts in this position a forming die I2, having a hollow or cavity I3 and preferably provided on its lower end with a at portion I4 and a rounded portion I5, having a tapered opening I6, is forced downwardly into the cavity 2 of the die I, contacts the upper portion of the cup 9, depresses and flows them into the position shown in Figure 4 to form the complete nail head I1.

After the forming die I2 is withdrawmas shown in Figure 5, the nail is ejected by the ejecting pin 4 which is raised as shown in Figure 5, or it may be ejected otherwise. It will be seen that as completed there has been formed about the head II of the nail proper and about the shank Ill a sealing head. This head is rounded on its exterior surface as at I8, is provided with a downwardly depending skirt I9 on its under surface and has formed a llet 20 which tapers toward the shank. An annular depression 2I separates the skirt I9 of the fillet 20.

In general, as a matter of convenience, the cup portions are ordinarily made in dies in which they are supported with the sides of the cup projecting upwardly. The nail is-thereafter inserted in the cup with its head down and its point up and the nal forming portion descends to cause the sides of the cup to be reshaped and distorted so that they flow or are otherwise caused to cover the under side of the nail head. The words under side are used to indicate that side of the nail head which ordinarily is the under side when it is driven. Actually as it lies in the die during the forming operation it is the upper side. The forming punch causes the lead or other material of the cup to flow to cover the under side of the nail head, to form a skirt about the edge of the nail. The skirt in ordinary operation, when the nail is used, depends downwardly but during the forming operation it, of course, projects upwardly. At the same time as the skirt is formed, a portion of the lead is squeezed and caused to flow upwardly along the 5 shank of the nail to form a llet which preferably is of greater length than the skirt portion.

Where in the specification and claims the expression downwardly facing or under surface of the nail is used, that surface which lies under the nail head when the nail is ordinarily driven,

is meant. Similarly, where the expression downwardly depending skirt is used, or downwardly extending llet, these expressions refer to the position which the parts in question occupy when the nail is ordinarily driven.

Nails of the present invention made according to the present method are provided with the sealin'g heads shown. Such nails are used in many connections. One of the most common uses is in connection with metallic roofing or similar metallic members in which the nail is used to secure roofing sheets, which may be plain, corrugated or of any desired nature. In such use the nail itself ordinarily pierces its own hole as driven, although the hole may be made in advance by other means. The nail is nally driven through the hole until the sealing head contacts the hole. The fillet portion penetrates into the depression about the hole, if such a depression has been formed, as is usual, and penetrates also partially through the hole, thus effectively sealing it about the shank. That part of the sealing head which lies under the nail head is compressed by the hammer blows against the roof surface and the downwardly depending skirt portion forms an area of intimate contact with the roong which extends the sealing area.

I claim:

l. The process of forming and positioning a sealing head of relatively soft, material upon a nail of relatively hard material which nail has a shank and a head, which process includes the following steps: Forming a piece of soft material having substantially the physical properties of lead of suitable size, shaping such piece into a cup-like member, with a curved exterior surface and a curved interior surface, positioning the head of the nail in said cup-like member, the sides of the cup extending beyond the nail head toward the point of the nail, depressing said sides of the cup, distorting, reshaping and flowing the sides of the cup inwardly toward the under surface of the nail head to surround it.

2. The process of forming and positioning a sealing head of relatively soft material upon a nail of relatively hard material which nail has a shank and a head, which process includes the following steps: Forming a piece of soft material having substantially the physical properties of lead of suitable size, shaping such piece into a cup-like member, with a curved exterior surface and a curved interior surface, positioning the head of the nail in said cup-like member, the sides of the cup extending beyond the nail head toward the point of the nail, depressing said sides of the cup, distorting, reshaping and flowing the sides of the cup inwardly toward the under surface of the nail head to surround it, to form a tapered llet surrounding the shank of the nail adjacent its head.

3. The process of forming and positioning a sealing head of relatively soft material upon a nail of relatively hard material which nail has a shank and a head, which process includes the following steps: Forming a piece of soft material having substantially the physical properties of lead of suitable size, shaping such piece into a cup-like member, with a curved exterior surface and a curved interior surface, positioning the head of the nail in said cup-like member, the sides of the cup extending beyond the nail head toward the point of the nail, depressing said sides of the cup, distorting, reshaping and flowing the sides of the cup inwardly toward the under surface of the nail head to surround it and to form a downwardly depending skirt portion of said sealing head.

4. The process of forming and positioning a sealing head of relatively soft material upon a nail of relatively hard material which nail has a shank and a head, which process includes the following steps: Forming a piece of soft material having substantially the physical properties of lead of suitable size, shaping such piece into a cup-like member, with a curved exterior surface and a curved interior surface, positioning the head of the nail in said cup-like member, the sides of the cup extending beyond the nail head toward the point of the nail, depressing said sides of the cup, distorting, reshaping and flowing the sides of the cup inwardly toward the under surface of the nail head to surround it, to form a tapered llet surrounding the shank of the nail adjacent its head and to form a downwardly depending skirt portion of said sealing head.

5. The process of forming and positioning a sealing head of relatively soft material upon a nail of relatively hard material which nail has a shank and a head curved on its upper surface, which process includes the following steps: Forming a piece of soft material having substantially the physical properties of lead of suitable size, shaping such piece into a cup-like member, with a curved exterior surface and a curved interior surface, corresponding in curvature to the head of the nail, positioning the head of the nail in said cup-like member, the sides of the cup extending beyond the nail head toward the point of the nail, depressing said sides of the cup, distorting, reshaping and flowing the sides of the cup inwardly toward the under surface of the nail head to surround it.

6. The process of forming and positioning a sealing head of relatively soft material upon a nail of relatively hard material which nail has a. shank and a head curved on its upper surface, which process includes the following steps: Forming a piece of soft material having substantially the physical properties of lead of suitable size, shaping such piece into a cup-like member, with a curved exterior surface and a curved interior surface, corresponding in curvature to the head of the nail, positioning the head of the nail in said cup-like member, the sides of the cup extending beyond the nail head toward the point of the nail, depressing said sides of the cup while maintaining the curved surface of the cup against distortion, distorting, reshaping and flowing the sides of the cup inwardly toward the under surface of the nail head to surround it.

'7. The process of forming and positioning a. sealing head of relatively soft material upon a nail of relatively hard material which nail has a shank and a head curved on its upper surface, which process includes the following steps: Forming a piece of soft material having substantially the physical properties of lead of suitable size, shaping such piece into a. cup-like member, with a curved exterior surface and a curved interior surface, corresponding in curvature to the head of the nail, positioning the head of the nail in said cup-like member, the sides of the cup extending beyond the nail head toward .the point of the nail, depressing said sides of the cup while maintaining the curved surface of the cup against distortion, distorting, reshaping and flowing the sides of the cup inwardly toward the under surface of the nail head to surround it, to form a tapered fillet surrounding the shank of the nail adjacent its head and to form a downwardly depen slrt portion of said sealing head.

8. The process of forming and positioning a sealing head of relatively soft material upon a nail of relatively harder material, which nail is provided with a shank and a head, which process comprises the following steps: Preparing a piece of soft material having substantially the 2,0 physical properties of lead of suitable size, forming it into a cup-like member, placing the nail head upside down in the cup, reforming the sides of the cup to embrace the nail head to cover its under surface and simultaneously forming from 25 portions of the cup a fillet about the nail shank,

tapering away fromthe nail head and forming from such cup a downwardly depending skirt portion positioned away from the shank of the nail and away from said'fillet.

9. The process of-forming and positioning a sealing head of relatively soft material upon a nail of relatively harder material, which n-ail is provided with a shank and a head, which process comprises the following steps: Preparing a piece of soft material having substantially the physical properties of lead of suitable size, forming it into -a cup-like member, the thickness of the bottom of the cup being substantially uniform, placing the nail head upside down in the cup, reforming thesides of the cup to embrace the nail head to cover its under surface and simultaneously forming from portions of the cup a fillet about the nail shank, tapering away from the nail head, and forming from such cup a downwardly depending skirt portion positioned away from the shank of the nail and away from said fillet.

10. The process of forming and positioning a sealing head of relatively soft material upon a nail of relatively harder material, which nail is provided with a shank and a head, which process comprises the following steps: Preparing a piece of soft material having substantially the physical properties of lead of suitable size, forming it into a`cup-like member, the thickness of the bottom of the cup being substantially uniibrm, placing the nail head upside down in the cup, reforming the sides of the cup to embrace the nail head to cover its under surface and simultaneously forming from portions of the cup a fillet about the nail shank, tapering away from the nail head, and forming from such cup a downwardly depending skirt portion positioned away from the shank of the nail and away from said llet, the llet being of greater length than the said skirt portion.

ELBERT D. TRIPP. 

